The case of the "delicate" audio jack and the angry Director

Posted by Pulsar2_Clover@reddit | talesfromtechsupport | View on Reddit | 41 comments

A few years ago I worked as the sole IT guy for a medium sized logistics firm and the Director there let's call him Dave was the definition of "technically illiterate but loud about it". Dave had a massive presentation for some potential investors and he spent all morning pacing around the conference room like a caged tiger. About ten minutes before the meeting starts I get a frantic radio call from his assistant saying the "speakers are dead" and Dave is currently having a meltdown.

I run down there and find Dave stabbing at his laptop screen with a finger while a pair of high end studio monitors sit completely silent on the desk. He sees me and immediately starts shouting about how we pay for "top tier equipment" and it never works when it actually matters. I do the usual checks first. Power is on. Volume is up in the OS. Everything looks fine on the software side but there is zero output. I look at the back of the laptop and see the 3.5mm audio cable just barely hanging out of the port.

I reach out to push it in and Dave literally slaps my hand away. He tells me "Don't force it !! I already tried that and I felt resistance. These things are delicate and I don't want you snapping the motherboard right before my pitch." I tried to explain that audio jacks usually need a satisfying "click" to actually engage the pins but he wasn't having it. He insisted the hardware was faulty and demanded I "fix it in the settings" instead.

While he was busy adjusting his tie in the mirror I just gave the cable a firm shove. *Click*. Suddenly the room was filled with the deafening blast of his intro video music which he had left on max volume while "testing". Dave jumped about a foot in the air and then looked at me with this mix of confusion and annoyance. He didnt thank me of course. He just muttered something about how the "port must have loosened up" after he worked on it and told me to get out so he could start. The best part was finding out later that his assistant had been holding his phone right next to the laptop mic earlier so they could "hear the tinny sound" through the conference bridge.

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fishy-2791@reddit

except that director can argue he was protecting company assets

and that director will cost a lot more to replace than the one man it dept.

and the one that complains is now now of a risk of the company being dragged into court

based on all of that hr would fire the complainer rather than the director.

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Throwaway_Old_Guy@reddit

Some key points from OP's post;

the Director there let's call him Dave was the definition of "technically illiterate but loud about it".

I reach out to push it in and Dave literally slaps my hand away. He tells me "Don't force it !! I already tried that and I felt resistance. These things are delicate and I don't want you snapping the motherboard right before my pitch." I tried to explain that audio jacks usually need a satisfying "click" to actually engage the pins but he wasn't having it. He insisted the hardware was faulty and demanded I "fix it in the settings" instead.

Brings to mind something a former Co-worker said: "You must have a twin, one person can't be that stupid."

and the one that complains is now now of a risk of the company being dragged into court

A Director that assaults Employees might not stop there. What do you think the result would look like if it happened to a Vendor?

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fishy-2791@reddit

the motivation matters because it changes the risk assessment, is he over zealous yes but that is only a cost of training. vs the complainers potential cost of a lawyer and the cost of administrative compliance with legal requests from law enforcement officers and/or the prosecuting attorneys office.

you are so desperate to be right here but you're not you're desperate to defend the notion that he's wrong for slapping a hand away.

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Throwaway_Old_Guy@reddit

you are so desperate to be right here

And you aren't???

you're not you're desperate to defend the notion that he's wrong for slapping a hand away.

Ummmm, pretty sure I have taken the position that DIPswitch Dave was entirely in the wrong.

the motivation matters because it changes the risk assessment, is he over zealous yes but that is only a cost of training.

You need to train someone that has reached a Director level that it is not permissible to commit an assault on a person (any person)?

It also appears that your entire argument is coming down to money over ethics/morality.

Yay Capitalism!

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fishy-2791@reddit

yeah money over ethics corporate hr ain't ethical, that what later stages of capitalism boil down to

and before you say it no communism socialism theocracism and so on are not better they have their own problems.

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Throwaway_Old_Guy@reddit

Of course they have their own problems, people are involved... Things always look good on paper/in theory.

I am not trying to "win" anything. I will stand for what I stated in my original comment;

You probably should have walked away when he slapped your hand and gone straight to HR.

Anyone with the attitude of DIPswitch Dave needs to have it re-adjusted.

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fishy-2791@reddit

and i will stand that doing that would have been a stupid action since he hold less value to the company than a director

direct action is fine IF your equally valuable or more valuable AND it doesn't open up or increase the possibilities of the company being involved in anything legal and judicial in nature.

because if that is the case you can be reasonably assured that HR will give you a fair shake at least.

if you do not meet those conditions than the opposite is true hr would listen asess and then best case do nothing worst case they'd conclude your a bigger risk and terminate you because at will employment.

the sqeaky wheel is first to get the grease sure its also first to be replaced.

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Throwaway_Old_Guy@reddit

Then we can both go about our respective days.

Best of everything to you.

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fishy-2791@reddit

very good then, and best of all things to you as well. i hope you have a good weekend!

K1yco@reddit

He insisted the hardware was faulty and demanded I "fix it in the settings" instead.

Sure. While we're at it why don't we fix your flat tire by filling your gas tank next.

honeyfixit@reddit

Dave doesnt strike me as the type to understand sarcasm. You say that and he wouldnpribably expect you to do it.

Also i hate users that want your help but then try to tell you waht or what not to do.

AbbyM1968@reddit

⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️ A baker's dozen extra upvotes.

I saw on here (TFTS) someone was reaching the end of their tether with an annoying user. OP finally went to his kitchen sink and turned the water on. Then asked user, "I've turned the water on in my kitchen: is your kitchen sink filling up?" User finally understood what OP was trying to tell them.

Awlson@reddit

Not enough upvotes for this one, that is a perfect answer.

You probably should have walked away when he slapped your hand and gone straight to HR.

Anyone with the attitude of DIPswitch Dave needs to have it re-adjusted.

and while he's going to HR the meeting burns and the whole company suffers when that investment doesn't materialize. then some months down the line he's out of a job while dave learns no lesson and just lands back on his feets somewhere else. there is a time for vengeance and a time for just doing the job.

awkwardsexpun@reddit

If it's gotten to the point where someone is trying to physically discipline an employee, it's time for HR.

thats not my point my point is going to hr will just wind up with the complainer out of a job. because the director is more valuable by virtue of being difficult to replace.

if you didn't read the whole comment go back read the whole comment THEN reply.

Disagree

When someone gets that in-your-face while you are trying to solve the problem they created, it's time to allow a FAFO moment to happen.

and in the meantime the company suffers loses those investors and you wind up out of a job.

Or, they realize who the real problem is and revitalize the Company with their absence.

oh and to clear your misunderstanding

HR does not protect YOU it protects the COMPANY from lawsuits and troublemakers and guess what label complaining about a director gets you

they aren't getting rid of the director with the expensive salary and possibly golden parachute whose job would be difficult to replace at break even cost they'll get rid of you and throw your role to some intern whose cheaper and doesn't rock the boat.

The troublemaker was not OP.

Firing for cause would in all likelihood, negate any parachutes.

I would say assaulting a Co-worker is a good reason to fire someone.

hr. does not. work. for. you.

they'd keep the director and fire op because a director is more expensive to replace and by complaining op exposes the company to a lawsuit.

that means op gets fired and the director keeps his job because he can argue he was "just protecting company property".

I do believe that the majority are well aware of the fact HR is not your friend.

A Company using Forethought instead of Foreskin will realize a Director with no qualms about assaulting a lower level Employee that possesses a higher level of understanding in the current situation, is more of a liability than asset.

and in the meantime the company loses those investors and suffers layoff and you lose your job

face it your thirst for vengeance is clouding judgement.

Pulsar2_Clover@reddit (OP)

The HR thought crossed my mind for half a second but I was the only IT person there and the meeting was in ten minutes. That's the trap with being a one-man department.

W1ULH@reddit

I'd still have gone.

"I could see that issue but when I tried to correct it, he actually hit me" would be a hell of a thing to respond with to HR when he tries to fire you.

Double-History4438@reddit

It’s a PEBKAC issue, faulty component requires specialized recalibration or replacement. Report to decision maker.

As far as the trap goes… it’s not you who is trapped with them, it is they who are trapped with you.

Rathmun@reddit

And while you're going to HR, the director can crash and burn.

zeus204013@reddit

You can go after resolving the issue...

FlorianTheLynx@reddit

One week old account, two contributions. Let’s not rule out the possibility that the whole encounter was made up for fake internet points.

That is a possibility for just about any post on Social Media in general.

Sometimes, it's just a leap of faith in choosing to believe a post is true and there is a well meaning Human behind it.

Sad really.